Amigurumi Sausage Dog Free Knitting Patterns: Your Complete Guide to Crafting the Perfect Dachshund

If you’ve ever scrolled through a craft fair, a handmade marketplace, or even just a friend’s Instagram feed and spotted an impossibly cute miniature dachshund made of yarn, chances are you’ve already fallen a little in love with the world of amigurumi. These charming, round-bodied stuffed creatures have been capturing hearts for decades, and the sausage dog — with its legendary long body, floppy ears, and short stubby legs — is one of the most beloved subjects in the amigurumi universe.

Whether you’re a seasoned knitter looking for a new project or a complete beginner who just picked up their first pair of needles, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about amigurumi sausage dog knitting patterns, including free pattern options, techniques, yarn choices, and tips for getting that adorable shape just right. By the time you finish reading, you’ll be ready to cast on and bring your very own miniature dachshund to life.

What Is Amigurumi and Why Is It Usually Crocheted?

The word amigurumi comes from Japanese — a combination of ami (knitted or crocheted) and nuigurumi (stuffed toy). The craft originated in Japan and exploded in popularity worldwide during the early 2000s. Most people associate amigurumi with crochet, and for good reason: the dense, close-stitch structure of single crochet makes it easy to create tight, smooth fabric that holds stuffing neatly and doesn’t allow polyfill to peek through.

But knitting amigurumi is absolutely a thing, and it comes with its own set of rewards. Knitted fabric has a beautiful stretch and softness that crocheted fabric doesn’t always replicate, and many knitters find the rhythm of working small rounds on double-pointed needles or a short circular needle deeply satisfying. Knitted amigurumi can have a slightly different, sometimes fluffier or softer texture depending on the yarn used, which can give your sausage dog a wonderfully tactile quality.

The key challenge with knitted amigurumi is managing the purl side of your work, since knitting in the round produces a stockinette fabric with the right side facing outward — exactly what you want. If you’re new to knitting in the round, a sausage dog project is a wonderful introduction because the body of the dachshund is essentially a long tube, which is one of the most beginner-friendly shapes you can knit.

Why the Sausage Dog Is Such a Perfect Amigurumi Subject

The dachshund’s anatomy lends itself beautifully to amigurumi construction. Think about the classic proportions: a long, cylindrical torso; four small, stumpy legs; a narrow, elongated muzzle; two oversized, velvety ears that hang down along the sides of the face; and a gently tapered tail. Every single one of those features is achievable with basic knitting techniques — increases, decreases, short rows, and simple seaming.

The body of the sausage dog is essentially a long I-cord or tube knit in the round, worked from nose to tail. The head is a sphere with a modified elongated muzzle. The legs are tiny tubes, and the ears are flat or slightly gathered ovals. None of these shapes requires advanced knitting knowledge, which makes the sausage dog one of the most approachable amigurumi animals for knitters of all levels.

Additionally, the dachshund comes in a range of coat types — smooth, long-haired, and wire-haired — which gives you creative freedom with yarn choices. A smooth-coated dachshund calls for a sleek DK or sport weight yarn, while a long-haired version invites the use of a fluffy or brushed mohair blend. A wire-haired dachshund could be created beautifully with a tweedy or textured wool. The same basic pattern can become a completely different toy simply by changing the yarn.

Getting Started: What You’ll Need

Before diving into pattern specifics, let’s talk about the materials that will set you up for success.

Yarn: For a classic small amigurumi sausage dog, a DK weight (also called light worsted or 8-ply) yarn works beautifully. It creates a firm enough fabric when worked on slightly smaller needles than the yarn band recommends, which is the key to good amigurumi construction — you want a dense fabric that doesn’t gap when stuffed. For a smoother dog, try a 100% acrylic or a cotton-acrylic blend in a warm tan, rich chocolate brown, reddish-brown, cream, or classic black. For a longer-haired version, a mohair or alpaca blend creates that characteristic flowing coat effect.

Needles: Double-pointed needles (DPNs) in a size slightly smaller than your yarn recommends are your best friends here. For DK weight yarn, this typically means 2.5mm to 3mm DPNs. Alternatively, you can use a short circular needle (9-inch or 23cm) or work magic loop technique with a longer circular needle. Many amigurumi knitters swear by DPNs for the small circumferences involved, though magic loop works equally well once you’re comfortable with it.

Stuffing: High-quality polyester fiberfill is the standard choice. Stuff your pieces firmly — firmer than you think necessary — because knitted fabric has more give than crocheted fabric, and under-stuffed amigurumi tends to look floppy and sad rather than perky and self-assured.

Other notions: Stitch markers, a yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle or darning needle) for seaming and weaving in ends, safety eyes in black (6mm to 8mm work well for a small dachshund), and scissors. Some makers also like to use a tiny amount of embroidery floss in black or dark brown for stitching on a nose and mouth.

Understanding the Basic Construction of a Knitted Amigurumi Sausage Dog

Most knitted amigurumi sausage dog patterns follow a similar construction logic, even when the specific stitch counts vary.

The body is the centerpiece of the project. It’s worked as a tube in the round, beginning with a small cast-on at the nose end (using a small number of stitches, often 6 to 8, then increasing out to the full body circumference). The tube is worked straight for several inches to create that signature elongated torso, then decreases bring the round back in to close off the tail end. Some patterns work the head separately and join it at the neck; others work the head and body as one continuous piece, which many knitters find cleaner because it eliminates one seaming step.

The legs are small four-stitch or six-stitch tubes worked separately and then attached to the body with a few mattress stitches. Their shortness is key to the sausage dog’s charm — you want them to look almost comically stubby in comparison to the long body.

The ears are either worked flat as simple ovals and then seamed to the sides of the head, or worked in the round as flattened pouches. They can be left flat and floppy for realism, or worked with a slight gather at the attachment point to give them a bit of body.

The tail is typically a tiny I-cord or a short narrow tube, tapered at the tip with a couple of decreases.

Free Knitting Pattern: Classic Smooth-Coated Amigurumi Sausage Dog

Below is a beginner-friendly free knitting pattern for a classic smooth-coated dachshund approximately 20–22cm (8 inches) long. This pattern uses DK weight yarn and 3mm double-pointed needles.

Gauge: 22 stitches and 30 rows = 10cm (4 inches) in stockinette in the round. (Gauge is less critical in amigurumi than in garments, but working at a tighter gauge than normal for your yarn will give you a denser, better-looking fabric.)

Abbreviations:
k = knit, p = purl, kfb = knit into the front and back of the stitch (increase), k2tog = knit two stitches together (decrease), sts = stitches, rnd = round, CO = cast on, BO = bind off.

Body and Head (worked in one piece, head first):

CO 6 sts onto 3 DPNs (2 sts per needle). Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Rnd 1: Kfb in each st — 12 sts.
Rnd 2: (Kfb, k1) repeat to end — 18 sts.
Rnd 3: (Kfb, k2) repeat to end — 24 sts.
Rnd 4–10: Knit all sts.
Rnd 11: (K2tog, k2) repeat to end — 18 sts.

Insert safety eyes between rounds 5 and 6, spaced approximately 8 sts apart. Begin stuffing the head firmly.

Rnd 12: (K2tog, k1) repeat to end — 12 sts.
Rnd 13: K all sts (this is the neck).
Rnd 14: Kfb in each st — 24 sts.
Rnd 15: (Kfb, k3) repeat to end — 30 sts.
Rnd 16–36: Knit all sts. Continue stuffing as you go.
Rnd 37: (K2tog, k3) repeat to end — 24 sts.
Rnd 38: (K2tog, k2) repeat to end — 18 sts.
Rnd 39: (K2tog, k1) repeat to end — 12 sts.

Stuff firmly, then:
Rnd 40: K2tog repeat to end — 6 sts.

Cut yarn leaving a 15cm tail. Thread through remaining sts and pull tight to close. Weave in end.

Muzzle:

CO 6 sts, join in the round.
Rnd 1: Kfb in each st — 12 sts.
Rnd 2–5: Knit all sts.
Rnd 6: K2tog to end — 6 sts.

Leave a long tail for seaming. Stuff lightly and sew the muzzle to the front of the head, centered below the eyes. Use black embroidery floss to stitch a small oval nose and a simple inverted-V smile onto the muzzle.

Legs (make 4):

CO 8 sts, join in the round.
Rnd 1–8: Knit all sts.
Rnd 9: K2tog to end — 4 sts.

Leave a tail for seaming. Stuff lightly. Sew front legs to the body approximately at rounds 16–17. Sew back legs at approximately rounds 33–34. The legs should be positioned so they hang directly downward.

Ears (make 2):

CO 3 sts. Work back and forth flat.
Row 1: Kfb, k1, kfb — 5 sts.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3–10: Work in stockinette.
Row 11: K2tog, k1, k2tog — 3 sts.
Row 12: Purl.
Row 13: Sl1, k2tog, psso — 1 st. Fasten off.

Sew the cast-on edge of each ear to the side of the head, positioned just behind and above the eyes. Let them hang naturally.

Tail:

Using 2 DPNs, CO 4 sts. Work a 4-stitch I-cord for 4–5cm. K2tog, k2tog, then cut yarn and thread through remaining 2 sts. Sew to the back end of the body, slightly angled upward.

Tips for Getting the Perfect Sausage Dog Shape

The most common challenge knitters face with amigurumi dachshunds is keeping that satisfying elongated body from looking too round or too fat. The key is to make sure your body tube has the right ratio of circumference to length. The body should be noticeably longer than it is wide — aim for a length-to-width ratio of approximately 3:1 or even 4:1 for that unmistakable dachshund silhouette.

Stuffing technique makes an enormous difference. Pack stuffing into the body firmly and evenly, pushing it all the way into the nose and tail ends so there are no air pockets. A chopstick, pencil, or dedicated stuffing tool is invaluable here. Lumpy stuffing creates a lumpy toy, so take your time with this step.

When attaching the legs, positioning is everything. Dachshunds have legs that emerge from the very bottom of their body with almost no clearance — they’re practically scraping the ground, which is part of their irresistible charm. Sew the legs so they emerge directly downward rather than at an angle.

The ears should have a little weight to them. If you’re using a particularly lightweight yarn and the ears don’t hang naturally, a tiny bead or a small stitch of thread from the underside of the ear through to the head can help train them to drape correctly.

Variations: Long-Haired and Wire-Haired Versions

One of the joys of making amigurumi sausage dogs is that the same basic pattern can be transformed with yarn choice and a few technique tweaks.

For a long-haired dachshund, work the body in a fine mohair or a mohair-silk blend held alongside a single strand of matching DK weight yarn. The halo of the mohair creates the characteristic feathering of a long-haired dachshund’s coat, especially on the ears and tail. You can also add fringe to the ears by cutting short lengths of fluffy yarn and attaching them along the outer edge of each ear.

For a wire-haired dachshund, choose a wool yarn with a slightly rustic or tweedy texture. You can add a loopy or tufted texture to the head and body by working a modified loop stitch on alternate rounds, which creates a dense, wiry-looking coat. This variety has a slightly more rugged, distinguished character and often ends up looking like a tiny old professor.

Making Your Sausage Dog as a Gift or for Sale

Amigurumi dachshunds make exceptional gifts. They’re the perfect size to sit on a desk, perch on a shelf, or tuck into a gift bag. If you’re making one as a gift for a child, be sure to use embroidered eyes rather than safety eyes (which, despite their name, can be a choking hazard for very young children). Use black embroidery floss to create simple, sweet button eyes instead.

If you’re considering selling your knitted amigurumi, it’s worth noting that when you use a free pattern, the resulting toys are typically yours to sell as handmade goods, though policies vary — always check the specific terms of any pattern you use. Pricing handmade toys fairly means accounting for your yarn cost, the time spent (amigurumi takes longer than it looks), and the skill involved.

Where to Find More Free Amigurumi Sausage Dog Knitting Patterns

The internet is wonderfully generous when it comes to free knitting patterns for amigurumi dogs. Ravelry is the largest database of knitting and crochet patterns in the world, and a search for “amigurumi dachshund knitting pattern” will turn up dozens of free and paid options with photos, project galleries, and community reviews that help you choose the best one for your skill level.

Pinterest is another treasure trove, particularly for finding patterns hosted on independent craft blogs. Searching “knitted amigurumi sausage dog free pattern” will surface a wide range of styles from cute and cartoony to surprisingly realistic.

YouTube is invaluable if you’re a visual learner. Several crafting channels have uploaded full video tutorials for knitted dachshund amigurumi, which can be helpful for understanding how pieces fit together even if you ultimately use a different written pattern.

Final Thoughts: The Joy of Knitting a Sausage Dog

There’s something genuinely delightful about spending a few hours with yarn and needles and producing, at the end, a small creature with a long body, ridiculous short legs, and enormous floppy ears. The amigurumi sausage dog sits at the intersection of craft and joy in a way that very few other projects manage — it’s practical enough to be a real skill-builder, fun enough to keep you motivated, and